Innovative Projects Realized

Explore thousands of successful projects resulting from collaboration between organizations and post-secondary talent.

13270 Completed Projects

1072
AB
2795
BC
430
MB
106
NF
348
SK
4184
ON
2671
QC
43
PE
209
NB
474
NS

Projects by Category

10%
Computer science
9%
Engineering
1%
Engineering - biomedical
4%
Engineering - chemical / biological

Measuring material nuclear properties for Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation (PGNA) spectroscopy

The objective of the research project is to design a method of measuring the neutron and photon attenuation properties of complex samples (such as toxic waste or mining ore) with a wide range of shapes and masses. Measuring these properties will permit accurate analysis of the sample’s elemental composition via Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA). Currently, accurate analysis of samples via PGNAA is typically restricted to low mass (<100g) samples with controlled geometries. This limits the usefulness of PGNAA. If it were possible to measure larger samples of any shape, PGNAA could become useful in a variety of industries, including mining, medical isotope production and waste disposal. The partner organization, Heliocentric Technologies, is developing an innovative PGNAA‐based instrument that could be employed in the industries listed above with the benefit of the method being a low/no‐contact, non‐destructive and highly accurate elemental analysis. The results of this research project would improve the accuracy of Heliocentric’s instrument and possibly reduce the sample measurement time. This project is in partnership with PRECARN.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Glenn McRae

Student:

Adam Bell

Partner:

Heliocentric Technologies

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Energy

University:

Carleton University

Program:

Accelerate

Influence of nuclear cytoplasmic interactions on developmental competence of bison

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is a unique technology that allows the preservation of the entire genome from an individual, thereby avoiding dilution of valuable alleles. This is an important criterion in endangered species preservation. Our interest in the Canadian wood bison, a threatened species, has brought us to consider the application of SCNT as a method for embryo production and genome preservation. This project will evaluate the developmental competence of bison embryos produced by interspecies SCNT, whereby a bison donor cell is transplanted into a domestic cattle oocyte. Interaction between the bison nucleus and domestic cattle cytoplasm will be examined to determine whether species‐specific differences exist that can potentially affect embryo development. This internship will allow Toronto Zoo to investigate important parameters involved in embryo development that will assist them with the implementation of SCNT protocols for non‐domestic cattle species. Access to embryo micromanipulation station, PCR equipment, epifluorescence microscopes and digital imaging systems will allow production and improve analysis of SCNT embryos.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. W. Allan King

Student:

Felipe Perecin

Partner:

Toronto Zoo

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

Fisheries and wildlife

University:

University of Guelph

Program:

Accelerate

Habitat Banking Feasibility Study

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) policy under the federal Fisheries Act requires industry to compensate for harmful alteration, disruption or destruction (HADD) of fish habitat. Manitoba Hydro has sometimes experienced difficulty in finding effective and worthwhile projects for compensation. Consequently, compensation projects completed in accordance with the preferences of DFO can sometimes be less effective than desired. The MITACS ACCELERATE intern will investigate habitat banking as a solution that would allow Manitoba Hydro’s funds and efforts to effect more meaningful habitat creation or restoration. This research will help facilitate communication between government and industry. Currently, DFO is reviewing chapter 3 of the policy for management of fish habitat ‐ Integrated Planning for Fish Habitat Management. Results of this research will assist DFO in revising their policy. Conclusions from this research will also be used by DFO as a basis for evaluating habitat bank proposals developed in Manitoba. Ultimately, habitat banks may be a way to enable both conservation and development by providing a means for appropriate and necessary development to occur in a more responsible and ethical manner.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Richard Baydack

Student:

Kristine Koster

Partner:

Manitoba Hydro

Discipline:

Geography / Geology / Earth science

Sector:

Fisheries and wildlife

University:

University of Manitoba

Program:

Accelerate

Emergency Department Flow Optimization Case Study

This Mitacs-Accelerate internship has to do with studying the Emergency Department (ED) operations at the Grand River Hospital. In May of 2008, the provincial government announced funding for a number of hospitals to help them reduce ED wait times. The focus of the internship is an in‐depth study of the ED, and a detailed analysis of all information, patient, staff and equipment flows. The intern will produce a report for the Grand River providing process flow descriptions, as well as identifying opportunities to streamline all aspects of the ED from patient arrivals, patient through the ED and to patient discharge. The intern will pursue a simulation based these to examine several design and control alternatives for managing the flow of patients through the ED.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Beth Jewkes

Student:

Jennifer La

Partner:

Grand River Hospital

Discipline:

Business

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

University of Waterloo

Program:

Accelerate

Cellular factors influencing the developmental potential of pure and hybrid bison

Assisted reproductive technologies can provide unique alternatives for wildlife managers interested in preserving genetically valuable individuals. The Canadian wood bison, currently listed as threatened, will benefit greatly from the use of in vitro fertilization and embryo banking as a method for producing genetically healthy, disease‐free herds. However, minimal or non‐existent knowledge of the fundamental aspects of reproductive biology has limited the success of reproductive technologies in non‐domestic species. This project will investigate basic mechanisms of early embryo development, including energy production, in an effort to better understand species‐specific differences that influence developmental outcome following in vitro embryo production. The data obtained will provide necessary information for optimizing bison embryo growth in vitro so that good quality embryos can be produced and preserved. This internship will allow Toronto Zoo to investigate important parameters involved in embryo development that would otherwise not be possible due to lack of appropriate equipment and expertise. Access to PCR equipment, epifluorescence microscopes and digital imaging systems will allow improved analysis of embryos.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. W. Allan King

Student:

Peter Seaby

Partner:

Toronto Zoo

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

University of Guelph

Program:

Accelerate

Breast Microwave Tomography Reconstruction using Ultra Wide Band Radar Images

The research to be conducted involves the development of new technology that can detect breast cancer tumours using microwave technology. The necessary mathematical research to perform microwave imaging of the breast will be pursued together with the hardware design needed for such a system. The expertise and academic goals of the two interns offer a combination that will benefit this project. Both interns will be involved in the mathematical algorithms with the unique opportunity of acquiring experience on antenna design and microwave hardware systems in the area of microwave breast imaging that will help to establish realistic theoretical goals.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Gabriel Thomas

Student:

Daniel Flores©Tapia and Majid Ostradrahimi

Partner:

CancerCare Manitoba

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

University of Manitoba

Program:

Accelerate

Asbestosis, Fibrosis, Pulmonary Function and Computed Tomography Test Changes in an Asbestos-Exposed Cohort

Many workers in the Sarnia region have had past occupational exposure to asbestos. Currently, a study is under way at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto to attempt to detect early stage lung disease in these workers using low dose computed tomography imaging of the chest. The internship will evaluate the relationship between asbestos and smoking exposures, pulmonary function changes and asbestosis (fibrosis or scarring of the lung due to asbestos exposure). Data for this study will come from medical records, existing questionnaire data and results of computed tomography. Analysis to evaluate their relationship between these factors will be carried out using multivariate regression analysis.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Martin Tammemagi

Student:

Marina Stegne

Partner:

Princess Margaret Hospital

Discipline:

Public administration

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

Program:

Accelerate

Algorithm/model to assist decision making for hip and knee replacement surgery

Arthritis affecting the hip and knee is a common problem causing pain and disability for many Manitobans. Joint replacement surgery is a common treatment for this condition. Although many patients improve after the surgery, there are some who do not. It is in the patient’s, and health system’s best interest to try to learn which patients will gain the best results from joint replacement surgery so to use resources most effectively. The Concordia Hip and Knee Institute is embarking upon ground breaking research to advance arthritis care in Manitoba by working with a team of researchers from across Canada. This team will attempt to determine a strategy to identify patients best suited for joint replacement surgery. The end result of this project will be an instrument based on mathematics that can be used during the clinical assessment to determine if surgery is an appropriate choice for each patient.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Xikui Wang

Student:

Qier Tan

Partner:

Concordia Hospital Research Institution

Discipline:

Statistics / Actuarial sciences

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

University of Manitoba

Program:

Accelerate

Advancing Improved Statistical and Syntactic Word Prediction

The internship’s broad objective is to improve the underlying mechanisms of Quillsoft’s flagship writing tool, WordQ, which is developed at Bloorview Kids Rehab, Canada’s largest children’s rehabilitation teaching hospital. WordQ software helps individuals to write by suggesting words and phrases based on what a user has already written. This is accomplished by a combination of statistics and grammar, which will be the focus of the intern’s activities. Currently, WordQ uses a short context window that precedes the current word to make its predictions. However, in a sentence fragment such as “The dog and cat went to the market and w‐“, the word “were” may be more likely than “was”, because the subject noun phrase is third person plural, but a short window would only consider the subsequence “market and w‐“, which is not sufficient. The intern’s chief activity will be the implementation of sentence‐wide grammatical constraints, as well as statistical methods for ranking alternative parses.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Annie Dupuis

Student:

Frank Rudzicz

Partner:

Quillsoft Ltd.

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Accelerate

Assessment of Fire Risk to Recreational Properties in Central Ontario

Risk to residential and commercial properties due to wildfire in areas of increased human habitation is an important but relatively unstudied phenomenon. Insurers are likely exposed to an increasing risk in the face of climate change and increased population in forested areas. The internship’s aim is to study this problem and to provide an estimate of the probability of a major wildfire event in the Muskoka region of Central Ontario sometime in the next ten years. The research team will also estimate the loss which insurers would expect to incur if such an event were to occur. Because the area lies outside the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources intensive fire suppression zone, it will be necessary to collect a substantial amount of data on the types of fuel in the area. The intern will be responsible for collecting this information and will participate in most other aspects of this project: modelling and simulating the fire ignition process, simulating the spread of fire using the current standard in fire spread simulation (PROMETHEUS), and calculating the risk.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Paul Kovacs

Student:

Jonathan Lee

Partner:

Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction

Discipline:

Statistics / Actuarial sciences

Sector:

Finance, insurance and business

University:

Western University

Program:

Accelerate

Potential Function Based Secondary Control of Microgrid

The new trend in electric power systems is to incorporate distributed energy resource (DER) units into the main grid. Such DER units can form a microgrid if they are in close proximity of each other and are connected to the main grid through a single point of common coupling (PCC). If for any reason the microgrid becomes separated from the main grid, for example in a case of a fault occurrence, the new paradigm of power systems (Smart Grid) necessitates that the microgrid continues to operate in this islanded mode. Although there has been much research on the subject of primary control of microgrids to rapidly react to disturbances, such primary control cannot guarantee stable operation of the microgrid. Therefore, there is need for a higher level control (secondary control) to adjust the microgrid set points according to the new operating conditions. This project with Digital Predictive Systems Inc. aims to develop such secondary controllers taking into account the interaction of microgrids and the communication requirements.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Reza Iravani

Student:

Ali Mehrizi‐Sani

Partner:

Digital Predictive Systems Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Energy

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Accelerate

Measurements and Modeling of Wireless Relay Channels in Urban Microcellular

This applied research engineering project is a University of Ottawa-CRC collaboration to produce knowledge applicable in the design of future wireless communication systems and networks. The collaboration gives the intern access to both CRC's technical capabilities, equipment, internationally recognized expertise in radio propagation research and radio channel modeling, along with the theoretical knowledge developed at the University of Ottawa. The research addresses both academic and industrial needs, and includes: development of radio channel measurement equipment, measurements associated with microcellular relay channels, and analysis of measured data with subsequent relay channel modeling. The project includes building multi-antenna channel sounding equipment, creating a data base containing real-world microcellular channel measurements and modeling parameters, and developing new software for design of future wireless relay systems and networks in urban microcellular environments. The work will ensure outputs of the type that can be used by Canadian industry, and will be useful to both network equipment developers (e.g. Nortel), and network service providers (i.e. Rogers).

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Sergey Loyka

Student:

Georgy Levin

Partner:

Communications Research Centre

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Information and communications technologies

University:

University of Ottawa

Program:

Accelerate

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